Sitting in the corner of the University of Iowa’s football facility, Matt Purdy, current Glenbrook North offensive and defensive line coach, felt a hand on his shoulder. His eyes teared up. He was named a captain of his college football team.

Purdy said his career started when he was eight years old, and he realized how much fun it was to hit people.

“I just remember when I was in third grade just hitting somebody and getting excited,” said Purdy.  “Just knocking a kid down was fun. Obviously as a big kid this was very fun to me.”

In high school, he experienced success in multiple sports, being named All-State in football, wrestling, and track and field.

“As a junior I got on the [Iowa] All-State Elite team [for football], and from then on the floodgates opened,” said Purdy. “I began to be heavily recruited. I had success in other sports as well, as a state runner-up in wrestling, so I started to get scholarship offers for both sports.”

From flying on private planes to receiving a letter from the Florida State cheerleading captain, Purdy had many experiences as a recruit.

“I loved [being recruited],” said Purdy. “They’re coming in, you’re getting all these letters, and your phone’s blowing up. You kind of feel like the king of the world.”

As a coach, Purdy has witnessed his players get recruited and has given them the same advice he was given.

“Look at every offer possible and then find the best fit for yourself, whether it is Division I, II or III,” said Purdy. “You have to find the best academic institution for yourself. [Ask yourself,] what do you want to study?”

Senior Dimitrije Milutinovic’ has been coached by Purdy for three years, and he has aspirations of playing Division I football. Milutinovic’, like Purdy, knows what it takes to lead a team after being named captain this season. Milutinovic’ said that as a sophomore, Purdy’s size intimidated him, but in the end the two had a special relationship.

“I just remember walking to practice and … talking to him about how I was worried if I was going to start or not, because we had some really good guys,” said Milutinovic’. “He just told me, ‘you’re going to start and we’re going to work you … I trust you.’”

Purdy said the trust between them has built up over time and has turned into chemistry, something he stresses to his linemen and reinforces with the annual “Hog Barbecue.”

“[Hog Barbecue’s] are really fun,” said Milutinovic’. “You get all the fat people together and you just eat food and have a good time. It definitely helps with the offseason bonding because one big thing with the line is that it’s all about having that connection.”

Being released by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1996 after one preseason forced Purdy to learn the hard way that less than two percent of players go on to play professional football.

Even with the odds of reaching the NFL stacked against them, Purdy coaches his linemen like they are already playing in college.

“[As a player], I’ve learned about getting the most out of everything you can get,” Purdy said. “That’s something I [tell] my lineman here.”

After learning countless lessons throughout his career, Purdy said the most important was using his past experience to better his coaching.

“I think the best thing … was [to relate] my experience to them,” said Purdy. “Letting them know that I’ve been there and done that … and it works.”